There is considerable opportunity for the next president to shape the legal landscape through appointments to the 13 federal appellate courts.
Alexander Wohl
Alexander Wohl is an adjunct professor at American University in the Department of Justice, Law and Society.
Posted inEducation in America
Fuzzy Math
Lost amidst all the punditeering about the potential Democratic resurgence today is the possibility that an ill-advised education scheme touted by a conservative group could also find new life, as the result of a pending Colorado ballot initiative. The education funding proposal known as the “65 percent solution” is misleading at best, and seriously (perhaps […]
Posted inArticle
Replicating Rehnquist
With Chief Justice William Rehnquist’s resignation seemingly imminent, George W. Bush’s first chance to reshape the Supreme Court looks to be at hand. Bush’s record of nominations to federal appeals courts is clear; if at all possible, he will seek to appoint an uncompromising conservative to the Supreme Court. This shouldn’t be all that surprising, […]
Posted inFeatures
Judge on the Stump
The conclusion of the Supreme Court’s term usually brings a spate of opinions in the most contentious and closely divided cases of the year, and this year’s session did not disappoint. On its final day, the Court issued four 5-to-4 rulings, among them its controversial decisions on school vouchers and student drug testing. All but […]
Posted inFeatures
Justice for Rent
During a recent campaign for a seat on a local Ohio Domestic Relations Court, a lawyer from a small firm ran up against a political, ethical, and financial dilemma. His predicament began innocently enough when he was solicited for a campaign contribution by supporters of the Democratic incumbent. The lawyer, a longtime Democrat, willingly put […]
Posted inFeatures
Contenders for the High Court
If It’s Bush Send in the Scalia-Thomas Clones Emilio Garza, Fifth Circuit: This former marine captain has clear conservative stands on all the important issues (like the purported error of Roe v. Wade). But he’s shrewd enough not to wear them on his sleeve. Appointed by President Bush in 1991 after […]
Posted inFeatures
Halting the Judgernaut
As Capitol Hill adjusts to Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords’s earthshaking repudiation of the Republican Party, the Senate Judiciary Committee is bracing itself to be the center of the aftershocks. The judicial branch of government, after all, is where a president is likely to have his most far-reaching impact; the judges he appoints will last much […]
Posted inFeatures
Bush’s Tenth Justice
While Democrats in the Senate failed to block the appointment of John Ashcroft as attorney general, they did send a message–albeit a weak one–with their opposition. Their 42 votes against Ashcroft were enough to demonstrate that they might have filibustered the appointment and that they could block any future judicial appointment they found similarly unpalatable. […]
Posted inFeatures
Diversity on Trial
If this article had appeared before Tuesday, March 27, the sentence you are reading now would have said: “A recent decision by a district court judge about admissions policies at the University of Michigan is heartening news for supporters of affirmative action in higher education.” Instead, that introductory sentence needs to be replaced with this […]
Posted inFeatures
And the Verdict Is…
I n the world of television, imitation is not simply the sincerest form of flattery; it is among the most lucrative. That’s why network executives are doing everything they can to cash in on the reality TV fad. It’s also why the hottest new category of reality TV shows turns out to be that old […]